The Malavas

The Malavas

The Malavas (Malwas) tribe was settled in Panjab region during   4th century BCE. Later, they migrated southwards to Rajasthan, Gujrat and Madhya Pradesh.
The Malava country lay on both sides of the lower Sutlej. The western boundary was formed by the lower Ravi and Jhelum and the south-eastern by the Sarasvati. Later, probably under the Indo-Greek pressure, they moved east to the Ludhiana-Patiala region, which even now is designated as Malavă. Malavai is the name of the dialect current in these districts. Mälava coins bearing the legend, Malavanām Jayaḥ, were found at Nagar in the erstwhile Jaipur State, indicating a movement in another direction. Allan, V. Smith, Cunningham and Rapson are agreed that the initial date for these coins is about 150 B.C. The commencement of Malava migration towards Jaipur, as also towards Ludhiana region, therefore, synchronised with the Indo-Greek invasion early in the 2nd century B.C. Dislodged from their old home the tribe appears to have split up in two branches-one moved east to Ludhiana-Patiala and the other towards Jaipur. We cannot assume that the tribe first migrated to the Malava tract in the Punjab, and after a brief stay there, were again driven out by a fresh wave of foreign invaders. A brief stay could not have justified the area and its language being permanently associated with the Malavas. On law and order having been restored by the Suñgas they continued to live in these parts till the Sakas dislodged them, Once again I do not agree with the opinion of Dr. Jayaswal that they merely “migrated via Bhatinda (Patiala State) where they have left their name” etc., nor with that of Dr. B.C. Law, “First settled in the Panjab, the Malavas gradually spread themselves over considerable portions of the North India and established their settlements in Rajputana, Central India, in different localities of United Provinces, in the country known in ancient days as Lätadesa (comprising Broach, Cutch, Vadnagar and Ahmadabad) and finally in modern Malwa.” Nor can we assert that they were occupying all the country from Ludhiana to Jaipur at this time, because we know that a more powerful tribe, the Yaudheyas, was in occupation of the intervening territory comprising the districts of Karnal and Rohtak and adjoining regions. Mälavas were a fairly big tribe, and even when split up in two branches, would have remained powerful severally in the two areas, Evidently, it was the Jaipur branch that ultimately shifted to Malwa, in western India.
Before 58 B.C the Malavas are found beseiging the Uttamabhadras somewhere to the west of Ajmer (not far from Jaipur) which was recieved by the forces of Nahapana. Samudragupta lists them in Allahabad Pillar Inscription among his republican vassals, e.g., the Yaudheyas, the Madras, the Arjunayanas etc. They are not heard of again.”